


Little Shadow

by slamncram (GettheSalt)



Category: Thor (Comics), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Flirting, Inspired by Fanart, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Jötunheimr | Jotunheim, M/M, Prince Thor (Marvel), Secret Admirer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 17:21:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17187170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GettheSalt/pseuds/slamncram
Summary: Thor achieving peace with Jotunheim would be a feat that many said would go into Asgard's history as the first of many he would complete in his lifetime. Finding peace with their former enemies, with the king who had too much bad blood with his own father to achieve it, should have been more than enough for Thor, but there was something that nagged him. Something that followed him to his bed every night, and breathed down his neck while he readied himself for his trips to Jotunheim in the morning.Laufey's son. The royal runt. Loki.





	Little Shadow

**Author's Note:**

> This was written back in August (whoops I forgot to cross-post it for a looong time) to accompany [this beautiful art](http://andlatitude.tumblr.com/post/176542511539) by AndLatitude. Please go and give it the love it deserves!

Making peace with Jotunheim was a feat that many said would go into the history books of Asgard as the first of Thor’s many great deeds. Thor wasn’t stupid; he knew the words for what they were, open flattery. It didn’t change that he was proud of the work he’d done here. What he’d managed with the Jotuns _would_ go into the history books and, even if it was under the rule of his father, it would be attributed to him, the crown prince. Making peace and upholding a truly unilateral treaty with King Laufey and his court was something his former warmonger sire wouldn’t have been able to achieve. There was far too much bad blood between Odin and Laufey for that to ever have been feasible.

Thor had done it, though. With the counsel of his mother, and those Asgardians who wished an end to the animosity between their two realms, he had made himself an ally of the Jotnar, a friend of the Jotunn king and his family, and an ambassador. There had always been the chance that assassination could come of it, but Queen Frigga’s coaching had helped. Thor’s prideful nature had been subdued and controlled over the many months he’d spent working with Laufey, and the benefits of it were evident.

A treaty, peace, an achievement attributed to him before he had come close to taking the Asgardian throne.

All this should have been more than enough for Thor, but there was something that nagged him. Something that followed him to his bed every night, and breathed down his neck while he readied himself for his trips to Jotunheim in the morning.

Laufey had many children. Unlike Odin, he had seemed to follow the ideal of having an many heirs as possible. Considering the position that Jotunheim had been in for centuries, it made sense. Asgard, as the head of the nine realms, was safe, and Thor, growing up in the halls of its palace, had been the same. Jotunheim was less so. Beautiful in its own way, its people having a propensity for kindness that mirrored the people of Asgard, but cold, harsh, and subdued under the heel of Asgard’s might and the terms of surrender they had agreed to, long ago, when Odin had beaten them back.

Laufey’s children were intelligent, cunning. Large, capable, great soldiers, with, Thor had been pleasantly surprised to learn, good humour and a willingness to share and learn from their Asgardian ambassador and visitors. The distrust their father had for Thor’s people had not been lost on them, but they, for the most part, had been able to set that aside after a time. Thor thanked them for that; he suspected it had played a considerable part in their father’s willingness to come to the table after so long.

All of Laufey’s children also happened to tower over Thor, which, he supposed, was what had helped them feel less threatened by him, in the end, even if he arrived each day with hammer in hand.

All of Laufey’s children but one.

Thor had heard him referred to as ‘the runt’ by his siblings, and though it wasn’t always with a tone of mocking, there was something there. Laufey’s youngest did not measure up to his siblings in the most obvious way, and to them, this seemed a failing. Despite his abilities with seidr, which they _did_ have a tendency to laud, his stature tended to be a sore point. Not only for them, counting him as their brother, but for Laufey, and, notable, for Loki himself.

Loki had been, possibly, the most distrustful of Thor for the longest period of time. He was small, for a giant, shorter than Thor by a few scant inches, and that had been pointed out with great glee at one of the first banquets Thor had attended. He also had a quick tongue, and sharp mind, and that, more than his size, stood out to Thor. He may not have fulfilled the giant’s appearance expected of him by his race, but he was, through and through, just as cunning and capable as his larger siblings.

Maybe even more so.

Thor wasn’t sure how long Loki had been following him before he caught on. Heimdall wouldn’t tell him. Heimdall, in fact, had seemed to think it a bit funny.

“Ah, so you’ve finally noticed your shadow.” He’d said, when Thor had asked him if he was being followed upon his return from the Bifrost site on Jotunheim. There had been a tilt to the gatekeeper’s mouth, and a look in his eye that told Thor even though the strides he was making to solidify a new peace treaty with the Jotnar were impressive, the fact that he had been blind to Loki following him for so long was less so.

Especially as he prided himself on being a capable warrior.

Since then, Thor had kept a wary eye out. Loki avoided him during banquets and social events to which he was invited, though he didn’t make a show of it. It was effortless, and easy, and Thor suspected that the high demand he was kept in by both the Jotnar in attendance and the dignitaries who came with him from Asgard made that possible. The only time the two of them ever spoke was during discussions of the treaty, and it was rare for Loki to speak up during those, preferring to allow his older siblings to speak for him, hanging back, his crimson eyes always watching, always on Thor.

He’d become so much more aware of it, since Heimdall had confirmed his suspicions of who his shadow was. Loki had an interest in him, but it was one he didn’t seem keen to indulge.

Which was a pity, as, for weeks now, Thor had gone home to Asgard carrying pride at his achievements, but disappointment at yet another failure to speak with Loki alone. It was the thought that kept him awake in the evenings, and prodded at him in the mornings, whether he was going to Jotunheim that day or not.

Despite his blue skin, his crimson eyes, and his general cautious nature, Loki intrigued Thor. Perhaps beyond what was acceptable, the more time that passed. He was beautiful, in ways his siblings weren’t, and in ways Thor was finding it increasingly difficult to find in his own people. The Jotunn sorcerer dogged his thoughts as much as he dogged his steps, but with considerably less finesse. At least when Loki followed him through the ice fields of Jotunheim there was stealth and care to it.

The way he laid heavy on Thor’s thoughts was anything but.

And still, Loki wouldn’t speak alone with him. Whatever interest he had in Thor, it seemed he didn’t want to push it any further than he had. He would observe from a distance, and madden Thor entirely by doing so.

Weeks.

It had been weeks, Thor thought, as he walked the path he knew well, now, from the Jotnar palace to the Bifrost site. He had taken this trip on a whim, so caught up in his own daring that he’d nearly forgotten the larder he’d intended to bring as his excuse. Delivering a gift to celebrate their treaty, as he would be a busy on Asgard for the next week, and would not be able to visit his newest allies as much as he would like. It had been an excuse, and a bad one at that, but Thor could not take the uncertainty of not knowing why his shadow persisted, and had needed to find out why.

The whole thing had seemed to be a failure. Loki had been nowhere to be found in the palace by Thor’s account, and he’d needed to keep up appearances, smiles and promises for visits soon with his siblings, father, and the court, when all he truly wanted was to see Loki, and speak with him.

Ask him why he followed him, every visit, but would not speak with him.

But Loki had been nowhere to be found and now, as Thor made his way home, he felt the annoyance of that digging into his shoulders, tapping away at him.

Answers he wanted, but Loki would not be the one to give him them this day.

So caught up was he in his annoyance and bitter thoughts that for a second he missed the sound of it.

Quick footsteps. The crunch of ice, normally unheard, because his nimble and cunning shadow was so careful to avoid it.

Loki may not have been found at the palace, but when Thor turned, quick, with no warning, he found him there, following his footsteps. Loki’s eyes widened in surprise and he through up a hand, whether to protect himself or cover his escape with some seidr, Thor didn’t know. His own reflexes were faster, and he grabbed a rough handful of the fur Loki wore, pulling him in, close enough that Thor could put his fingers to his cold chin, and tip his face up to his own.

“I didn’t see you at the palace today.”

Loki didn’t meet his eyes, but he didn’t move to escape, either. It was obvious he knew Thor had him, and that his game of stalking hadn’t gone unnoticed, but, despite his seeming so ardent that he _not_ spend time with Thor alone previously, he wasn’t making a move to get away.

“I wasn’t within the palace, your majesty.”

Thor’s mouth quirked in a smile. “I noticed. Still you chase me, little shadow?”

At that, Loki’s eyes lifted to his, and Thor was forced to look away from Loki’s mouth, where the barest hint of a smirk was making itself known.

“Finally you managed it.”

There was a mocking to Loki’s tone that, rather than incite Thor’s annoyance again, was pulling him in, intriguing him in a way that fit nicely along his curiosity as to why Loki followed him.

Loki was certainly smirking now, keeping his eyes on Thor’s.

“I was waiting to be caught.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> You can find me at **slamncram** on both [Twitter](https://twitter.com/slamncram) and [Tumblr](http://slamncram.tumblr.com).


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